Principal R&D Scientist

Validation Associates LLC

Lead R&D lab transformation across Product Integrity and Analytical Sciences for consumer products testing. Ensure scalability, compliance, and operational excellence within regulated environments.

Posted 4/30/2026full-timeAlabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $70 - $75 per hourWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead process transformation across Analytical Sciences production labs, Foundational Chemistry labs, R&D environments, and Manufacturing Quality Services labs
Map current-state capabilities while operating in parallel with business-as-usual (BAU) activities
Identify gaps, redundancies, and inefficiencies across laboratory operations and service delivery models
Evaluate workflows across multiple sites, teams, and laboratory functions
Develop and implement skills matrices to assess workforce capabilities and identify proficiency gaps
Align resources, roles, and processes to optimize efficiency and scalability across the network
Define and analyze key performance metrics, including samples processed per role, non-conformance/error rates, and time per sample
Leverage data-driven insights to drive process optimization and continuous improvement
Implement scalable solutions that enhance throughput, data quality, compliance, and overall operational performance
Design and implement systems and tools to capture, track, and report key laboratory performance metrics
Establish standardized methods for data collection, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and traceability
Enable real-time or near-real-time visibility into operational performance to support decision-making and continuous improvement.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Microbiology, Analytical Sciences, or a related scientific discipline
Minimum of 5–10 years of hands-on laboratory experience in a regulated environment (e.g., consumer products, pharmaceutical, or similar)
An Associate's degree in a life science field plus 15+ years of laboratory experience
Strong scientific and technical foundation in analytical sciences, chemistry, microbiology, or related disciplines
Proven experience in process transformation and operational excellence
Strong data analytics capability with experience defining, tracking, and interpreting key performance metrics (e.g., throughput, error rates, cycle time)
Experience developing or leveraging systems and tools (e.g., LIMS, ELN, dashboards) to capture, manage, and visualize operational data
Solid understanding of regulated laboratory environments (e.g., FDA, ISO, GLP/GMP) with a strong focus on quality, compliance, and documentation accuracy.

Benefits

Comp & perks

W2 Employment
1099-Independent Contract Employment
Insurance options including Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug, Group life, Workman Compensation, Short-term and Long term Disability ( All offered through premier Insurance companies like United Health)
Direct Deposit
Free Skills Enhancement Training
Employment Referral Bonus Program
Military Friendly Employer
Relocation Assistance (when applicable)
Immigration Assistance
Jury Duty- All employees receive salary continuance up to 3 days for jury duty service.

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

process transformationoperational excellencedata analyticskey performance metricslaboratory performance metricsworkflow evaluationskills matrices developmentefficiency optimizationcompliancequality assurance

Soft Skills

leadershipcommunicationproblem-solvinganalytical thinkingcollaborationdecision-makingcontinuous improvementresource alignmentorganizational skillsstrategic thinking